AFL GRAND FINAL 2010: The game so nice, they’re playing it twice

So, the first rendition of the 2010 AFL Grand Final has ended in a draw. With the clock pushing on three hours of play, Collingwood (9.14.68) and St Kilda (10.8.68) could not be separated. One of the great spectacles of Australian sport will be seen again, just one week later.

While this has been seen before at the top level (the VFL in 1948 and 1977), we live in a different world now. In a battle for supremacy in the Australian sporting landscape, which they seem to be leading, this Grand Final replay could reap huge benefits for the AFL.

This Grand Final was not just a great exhibition of the game in person at the MCG and live on national television, but it was all over my feeds on Twitter and Facebook, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this. This exposure in new, social media, is invaluable to the AFL as they battle for the hearts and minds of those who are not already fans of the game (especially those living in south-east Queensland and in Sydney’s west).

Looking beyond our shores, just an hour after the conclusion of the game, Twitter’s top ten trending topics worldwide included “AFL Grand”, “#aflgf”, “Collingwood”, “Kilda”, “Footy”, and “Draw”. Twitter has emerged as a part of everyday life, with sportspeople to media commentators to celebrities and just about anyone else embracing the power of 140-character tweets. For the native game of the land down under to occupy this kind of share of current discussion on one of the world’s foremost medium is not to be underestimated.

Not only has the drawn Grand Final firmed the AFL’s presence as a topic in social media, but the traditional bastions such as newspapers and television will be significantly affected too. We can expect the AFL Grand Final to be everywhere in Australian media for another week, thanks to the intrigue of the result and the fact that there is another Grand Final. The AFL scores another win with prime Saturday afternoon programming on the October long weekend; a few million more ratings which money cannot buy.

As the two clubs – and their respective legions of fans – prepare to do battle once again, the AFL can sit back and rub their hands together. While they may be criticised for the rules of the game requiring a replay rather than extra time, we can all be sure that newspapers, television, Twitter, Facebook and other mediums will be immersed in Grand Final fever for at least another week.

P.S. One kicker for Geelong fans disappointed by their side’s preliminary final loss – they remain the AFL premiers for another week (or more..?).